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(No Model.)

A. W. BERNE. E ELECTRIC CIRCUIT FOR TELEPHONE PURPOSES. No. 425,858.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. BERNE, OF NEIV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BROWN LEE IV. TAYLOR AND SAMUEL B. MGCONNICO, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT FOR TELEPHONE PURPOSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,853, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed September 24, I889. Serial No. 324,936. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. BERNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a System of Electric Circuits for Telephonic Purposes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a system of electric circuits for telephonic purposes in conjunction with switches, connections, and cut-outs; and the objects of my invention are to permit six persons to converse with each other without interference upon three wires, or that will enable one person to converse with another at any telephone, and whereby perfect metallic returns may be had at any time by the use of the switches, as shown in the accompanying drawing, which is a diagrammatical plan View of my improved system complete, the flexible connections for each of the main stations being shown detached.

1, 2, and 3 represent three sub-stations, which are connected with the station A and station B, respectively, by means of the wires N O, P Q, and R S, and are each provided with a telephone T, or other electrical instrument. N is fastened to brass piece G on switch K, and O is fastened to brass piece H on same switch, thus taking circuit from brass piece G to telephone 1, and thence back to brass piece I-I, wires P Q and R S performing the same functions for telephones 2 and 3 by connecting with brass pieces I J and K L on switch K.

X is a ground-wire.

M M M are three plugs of brass attached to three flexible branches of X.

A, B, and O are plugs fastened to flexible wires 4, 5, and 6. D, E, and F are similar plugs.

On switch J, 1, 2, and 3 designate pieces of brass which receive the main lines from station B, at which station is placed a duplicate arrangement of wires, brasses, plugs, telephones, and switches. It will now be seen that if plugs A, B, and C are placed in connection, respectively, with brasses 1', 2', and

a on switch J, and plugs D, E, and F be placed in connection, respectively, with G, I, and K on switch K, and plugs M M M are connected with brass pieces II, J, and L, and a duplicate arrangement of connection being made at station B, the telephones l, 2, and 3 will be in perfect connection with their duplicates at station B.

If it is desired to establish a metallic eir- 6o cuit between a telephone at one sub-station with either of the telephones at the other substation-as, for instance, between the telephones of the stations 1 and 1one of the flexible wires 6 is connected with the brass piece of plate G on the switch K and with the piece or plate 1 on the switch J, and the flexible piece 5 is connected with the plates II and 2. In this manner the circuit is completed in one direction through the wire N, flexible piece 6 of one station, the main line 1 to the flexible piece 6 and wire N of the other station to the telephone. The return is made through the line 0, flexible piece 5 of the second station, main line 2 to the flexible piece 5 and 'wire 0 of the second station to the place of beginning or the telephone at that station. If either of the main lines should be in use or inoperative from any cause, the circuit could be established by connecting the ends of either of the flexible connections 5 or 6 with the remaining main line which it is desired to include in the circuit; but if two of the main lines are in use or inoperative and it is desired to establish a circuit through the remaining line, as through the line 3", the flexible piece 4 at each station is connected with the end of said line and With one of the plates, as K, which communicates with the telephone which it is desired 0 to use, as the telephone 3, and then one of the plugs M of the ground-wire is connected with the other plate, as L, and the opposite end connected with the ground. The circuit will then be from the ground through the wire X, wire S, telephone at sub-station 3, wire R, flexible piece 4 of one station, main line 3 to flexible piece 4, wire R, telephone at sub-station 3, wire S, and ground-wire to earth.

Of course either of the telephones could be used by connecting it with the desired main line by the flexible pieces 4, 5, or 6. In this way each telephone will be in or form a port1on of a loop at each'end when the circuit is completed, the ends of which loop, consist of the wires leading from it to the switch-board.

I t 1s evident that a metallic or ground ci-rcult can be had at the will of the operator, and that two persons-one at each endcan be using either of the main lines at the same time, and that any one at one station can be placed in communication with anyone of the persons at the other station.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A system for electric intercommnnication, consisting of a series of main lines which are connected with a switchboard at each end, an instrument for each end of each line, a second switch-board having two plates for each instrument, two wires from each telephone connected with the plates on the second switch-board, and flexible pieces at each station for establishing communication with the plates of the second switch-board of one station with the plates of the second switchboard of the other station, substantially as described.

2. A system for electrical interco1nmunicatron, consisting of a series of main lines and two switch-boards for each end of the lines,

one of which has a switch-plate for each line and the other one has a pair of plates for each line, an instrumentconnected with each of the pair of plates on the second switch, and means for connecting either of the plates on the first-mentioned switch at either end with either of the plates on the second-mentioned switch at that end, substantially as described. I

3. A system for electrical intercommunication, consisting of a series of main lines having a switch at each end and a plate on each of said switches for each line, insulated from each other, but in electrical contact with its line, a switch at each end electrically disconnected from the first-mentioned switch, hav-' in g as many instruments connected therewith as there are main lines, each of said second switches having a pair of plates for each instrument, detachable lines for establishing connections between the switches at each end, and a ground-wire having branches for connecting with the instrument switchboard, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR W. BERNE. \Vitnesses:

HENRY J. RHODES, IIELMUTH HOL'IZ. 

